Chapter 31
Xu Mingjing deliberately asked her sister in front of other people to force her to answer.
Otherwise, Xu Mingzhen would appear selfish and didn’t want to help her younger sister.
Xu Mingzhen couldn’t help but think, ‘What was Mingjing’s motive in asking me in front of others?’
Xu Mingzhen’s smile disappeared. “What means do we have? We only got a spot to go to Jixia Academy. If there was a way, I would have transferred all three of my sons to Jixia Academy instead of letting them stay in Shijing. I don’t want my children to go to different schools.”
Without three older brothers to look after Tan Mo, she was really worried.
Dong Hanbi liked Tan Mo’s attentiveness. As Xiao Menghan said, if Tan Mo turned out to be mean, she would solve the problem when the time comes.
From the looks of it now, Tan Mo still appeared kind.
Dong Hanbi said to Xu Mingzhen, “Mrs. Tan, don’t worry. My daughter will be there too. Qin Muye and Tan Mo could accompany each other. Muye is straightforward, while Mo Mo is attentive. They complement each other.”
Xu Mingzhen was a little worried at first, but now that Dong Hanbi took the initiative to talk about it, she was relieved.
Everyone stayed for a while, and then Li Xiangrong said goodbye first.
Dong Hanbi and Xu Mingjing sensed that they shouldn’t stay for too long, so they also said goodbye.
Tan Mo sent Qin Muye to the car. When there were no other people around, Qin Muye whispered, “Your suggestion was really useful! Just yesterday, Qin Murong helped Qin Muxiao ask for my things again. I just agreed as you said, but I didn’t give it to them, and that made them very angry! You should have seen their faces.”
Qin Muye excitedly grabbed Tan Mo’s hand and shook it.
“Mo Mo, thank you for talking it through with Muye and encouraging her to tell us the truth.” In this regard, Dong Hanbi was sincerely grateful to Tan Mo. “Otherwise, Muye would have been bullied right under our noses. It might be too late for us to do something.”
“You’re welcome,” Tan Mo responded. She was neither proud nor humble.
Dong Hanbi was also taken aback. She was accustomed to seeing those who had to be humble in the face of everything, and some would even appear hypocritical.
She was a little unaccustomed to Tan Mo’s unceremonious response.
However, immediately, Dong Hanbi laughed, and the smile reached her eyes.
She liked this kind of response. It wasn’t fake nor insincere.
Tan Mo not only was witty and shrewd but also had the innocence of her age, which was really rare.
She didn’t know how the Tan family raised their children to have such a well-rounded and clever child.
“Then we will see you when school starts. We will wait for you at the school gate. Shall we go in together then?” Qin Muye looked at Tan Mo expectantly.
“Okay.” Tan Mo stretched out her little finger. “I’ll make a pinky promise with you.”
At the same time, Yuan Keqing and Xu Mingjing sat quietly in the car, but they didn’t leave.
“Mom, I want to go to Jixia Academy too.” Yuan Keqing was aggrieved and was about to cry. “My aunt was able to enroll my cousin at Jixia Academy. There must be a way to let me attend that school.”
“But haven’t you heard? None of your three cousins have gone,” Xu Mingjing reasoned with her. “Your aunt can only get one spot. Otherwise, the boys will be able to go as well.”
“That’s not the case,” Yuan Keqing said petulantly. “The courses offered by Jixia Academy are different from other schools. My three cousins have been in Shijing for quite some time. If they suddenly transfer to Jixia Academy, they won’t be able to keep up. That’s why my aunt didn’t transfer them. But I’m different. I’m starting from scratch.”
“My cousin’s place must have been given by Auntie Xiangrong.” Yuan Keqing pitifully took Xu Mingjing’s hand and pleaded, “Mom, tell my aunt to ask for another spot from Auntie Xiangrong. I also want to go to Jixia Academy.”
Yuan Keqing sobbed. “I want to be in the same school as my cousin. I don’t want to be separated. Mom, if I go to Jixia Academy, I will take good care of my cousin. I will listen to my cousin.”
“When the Wei family and Qin family are gone, I will take you back and discuss with your aunt.” Xu Mingjing couldn’t resist Yuan Keqing’s pleading. She also wanted Yuan Keqing to go to Jixia Academy.
After waiting for Li Xiangrong’s and Dong Hanbi’s cars to leave, Xu Mingjing took Yuan Keqing back and rang the doorbell.
“Sister,” Xu Mingjing called as soon as she entered the door.
“Did you leave something behind?”
Otherwise, why would she come back?
“No.” Xu Mingjing bit her lips. She was trying to find the right words to say.
“Do you have something to say?” Xu Mingzhen stepped aside. “Come in first. Don’t stand in the hallway.”
“No, it’s just a thing or two. I won’t go in.” Xu Mingjing wrung her hands. “Sister, can you ask Keli’s mother for another spot so Keqing could also enter Jixia Academy?”
“Auntie, I also want to go to Jixia Academy,” Yuan Keqing pleaded with tears.
“Do you think the spot was from Xiangrong?” Xu Mingzhen sighed. “If the slot were from her, then my three sons would also be able to get in at the same time. Would I have to wait until now to get a spot?”
“Well then, who gave it?” Xu Mingjing was stunned for a moment. “Sister, just tell me. What did you do? I want Keqing to study there as well.”
Xu Mingzhen shook her head. “The spot was given by the patriarch of the Wei family, Wei Mingwen.”
This shocked Xu Mingjing. Her head felt as if it was buzzing.
“Wei family’s patriarch?” Xu Mingjing clarified. “Sister, not only did you know Li Xiangrong and the wife of the patriarch of the Qin family, but also you knew the patriarch of the Wei family?”
Seeing Xu Mingjing’s shocked expression, Xu Mingzhen explained, “You know Xiangrong is my best friend. I met her first, and then she married into the Wei family. As for the Qin family’s madam, it’s all because Mo Mo is a good friend of the Qin family’s little girl, so their coming here has nothing to do with me. If it wasn’t because of Mo Mo, how could I get to know the madam of the Qin family?”
“As for the Wei family’s patriarch, no one in the entire family is familiar with him. The reason I didn’t talk about the placement before was that I didn’t want to drag Mr. Wei and make people think that they are very familiar with us. We have no idea why this slot was offered to us, but I guess it’s probably because Mo Mo was wronged at the birthday banquet. It’s basically recompense. You want me to ask for another slot? How could I be that shameless?”
Yuan Keqing was insanely envious of Tan Mo’s good luck.
She was already lucky enough to be born in the Tan family with so many people’s love and affection.
Each time she was aggrieved, she was recompensed quite handsomely.
At Wei Keli’s house, she was upset and, in turn, got an invitation for Old Madam Wei’s birthday banquet.
At the banquet, she was aggrieved too and later got a spot at Jixia Academy.